Do you have a 600Nm endorsement attached to your certificate of competency (CoC)?
The endorsement would have been originally issued by a state or territory marine safety agency prior to 2013 and the introduction of the National System.
The reform of Marine Order 505 included changes to the types of endorsements which could be issued by AMSA under the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessels) National Law Act 2012 or ‘National Law’. One change includes the cessation of 600Nm endorsements.
Why has 600Nm endorsement ceased?
A 600Nm endorsement is not required to perform any duties covered by near coastal certificates of competency (CoC) issued under the National Law.
National Law CoCs can only be used by people working on a DCV within Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) (200Nm from the Australian baseline).
600Nm endorsements were only ever intended to cover seafarers working on the small number of identified vessels that had previously been permitted to operate beyond the limits of the EEZ. These vessels are covered by Section 19 and Section 320 of the Navigation Act. A full list is available on the AMSA website.
As a result of the reform to Marine Order 505, AMSA can no longer reissue the 600Nm legacy endorsements when existing CoCs come up for renewal.
Are exemptions available?
Crew who previously used a 600Nm endorsement to work on the small number of vessels permitted to operate outside of Australia’s EEZ, will be able to continue to do so under a new exemption (Ex47).
Seafarers who have a CoC with a 600Nm endorsement printed on the card do not need to seek an early replacement of their card.
When the CoC comes up for renewal, the new card will be issued without the 600Nm endorsement printed on it.